Organisation of the Igala Numeral System
Posted by
abdul at December 2nd, 2014
The Igala numeral system is in a structurally complex state that presents quite some difficulty to the user and learner. Language professionals pointed out that the traditional counting system of Igala did not go beyond the figure one thousand (1000). The complexity and limit on the numeral system have frequently led to a code mixing situational context for a majority of Igala speakers where the use of the Igala counting system is avoided in preference for the use of others, particularly that of English. This is also a similar case for Yoruba as attested in Welmers (1973).
Ejeba (2011) and Omachonu (2010), as well as Etu (1999) and Ocheje (2001) have done some work on the Igala numeral system. Whereas Ejeba and Omachonu present straightforward linguistic descriptions of the state of the system, Etu and Ocheje present suggestions on modifications to it.
Ejeba (2011) presents the forms of Igala numerals from ‘nought’ through to the thousandth, with their various additive values as follows. Elder Agbonika Simeon presented natural structure of metric numeral process in his research work titled digital family theory of numbering. Abdul M. Yahaya followed suite in the pursuit of research work to bring Igala numbering system to state of acceptance for scientific and engineering works.
Numbers |
Un-contracted form of writing |
contracted form of writing |
Writing without regards for grammatical rules of Igala compound word formation |
0 |
òfo |
òfo |
òfo |
1 |
ényẹ́ / oka |
ényẹ́ / oka |
ényẹ́ / oka |
2 |
èjì |
èjì |
èjì |
3 |
è̩ta |
è̩ta |
è̩ta |
4 |
è̩lè̩ |
è̩lè̩ |
è̩lè̩ |
5 |
è̩lú |
è̩lú |
è̩lú |
6 |
è̩fà |
è̩fà |
è̩fà |
7 |
èbie |
èbie |
èbie |
8 |
è̩jọ |
è̩jọ |
è̩jọ |
9 |
è̩lá |
è̩lá |
è̩lá |
10 |
è̩gwá |
è̩gwá |
è̩gwá |
11 |
è̩gwá ka |
è̩gw ‘áka |
è̩gwáka |
12 |
è̩gwá èjì |
è̩gw ‘éjì |
è̩gwéjì |
13 |
è̩gwá è̩ta |
è̩gw ‘ẹ́ta |
è̩gwẹ́ta |
14 |
è̩gwá è̩lè̩ |
è̩gw ‘ẹ́lè̩ |
è̩gwẹ́lè̩ |
15 |
è̩gwá è̩lú |
è̩gw ‘ẹ́lú |
è̩gwẹ́lú |
16 |
è̩gwá è̩fà |
è̩gw ‘ẹ́fà |
è̩gwẹ́fà |
17 |
è̩gwá èbie |
è̩gw ‘ébie |
è̩gwébie |
18 |
è̩gwá è̩jọ |
è̩gw ‘ẹ́jọ |
è̩gwẹ́jọ |
19 |
è̩gwá è̩lá |
è̩gw ‘ẹ́lá |
è̩gwẹ́lá |
20 |
ógwú |
ógwú |
ógwú |
21 |
ógwú nyú oka |
ógwú nyó̩ka |
ógwú nyó̩ka |
22 |
ógwú nyú òké mó̩ èjì |
ógwú ny ‘ókém ‘éjì |
ógwú nyókéméjì |
23 |
ógwú nyú òké mó̩ è̩ta |
ógwú ny ‘ókém ‘é̩ta |
ógwú nyókémé̩ta |
24 |
ógwú nyú òké mó̩ è̩lè̩ |
ógwú ny ‘ókém ‘é̩lè̩ |
ógwú nyókémé̩lè̩ |
25 |
ógwú nyú òké mó̩ è̩lú |
ógwú ny ‘ókém ‘é̩lú |
ógwú nyókémé̩lú |
26 |
ógwú nyú òké mó̩ è̩fà |
ógwú ny ‘ókém ‘é̩fà |
ógwú nyókémé̩fà |
27 |
ógwú nyú òké mó̩ èbie |
ógwú ny ‘ókém ‘ébie |
ógwú nyókémébie |
28 |
ógwú nyú òké mó̩ è̩jọ |
ógwú ny ‘ókém ‘é̩jọ |
ógwú nyókémé̩jọ |
29 |
ógwú nyú òké mó̩ è̩lá |
ógwú ny ‘ókém ‘é̩lá |
ógwú nyókémé̩lá |
30 |
ógwú è̩gwá |
ógw ‘é̩gwá |
ógwé̩gwá |
31 |
ógwú è̩gwá nyú oka |
ógwú è̩gwá nyú oka |
ógwú è̩gwá nyú oka |
32 |
ógwú è̩gwá nyú òké mó̩ èjì |
ógwú è̩gwá ny ‘ókém ‘éjì |
ógwú è̩gwá nyókéméjì |
40 |
ò̩gbò̩ mó̩ èjì |
ò̩gbò̩ m ‘éjì |
ò̩gbò̩ méjì |
41 |
ò̩gbò̩ mó̩ èjì nyú oka |
ò̩gbò̩ m ‘éjì nyú oka |
ò̩gbò̩ méjì nyú oka |
42 |
ò̩gbò̩ mó̩ èjì nyú òké mó̩ èjì |
ò̩gbò̩ m ‘éjì ny ‘ókém ‘éjì |
ò̩gbò̩ méjì nyókéméjì |
50 |
óje |
óje |
óje |
60 |
ò̩gbò̩ mó̩ è̩ta |
ò̩gbò̩ m ‘é̩ta |
ò̩gbò̩ mé̩ta |
70 |
ò̩gbò̩ mó̩ è̩ta è̩gwá |
ò̩gbò̩ m ‘é̩t ‘è̩gwá |
ò̩gbò̩ mé̩tè̩gwá |
80 |
ò̩gbò̩ mó̩ è̩lè̩ |
ò̩gbò̩ m ‘é̩lè̩ |
ò̩gbò̩ mé̩lè̩ |
90 |
ò̩gbò̩ mó̩ è̩lè̩ è̩gwá |
ò̩gbò̩ m ‘é̩l ‘è̩gwá |
ò̩gbò̩ mé̩lè̩gwá |
100 |
ò̩gbò̩ mó̩ è̩lú |
ò̩gbò̩ m ‘é̩lú |
ò̩gbò̩ mé̩lú |
101 |
ò̩gbò̩ mó̩ è̩lú nyú oka |
ò̩gbò̩ m ‘é̩lú ny ‘oka |
ò̩gbò̩ mé̩lú nyoka |
102 |
ò̩gbò̩ mó̩ è̩lú nyú òké mó̩ èjì |
ò̩gbò̩ m ‘é̩lú ny ‘ókém ‘éjì |
ò̩gbò̩ mé̩lú nyókéméjì |
110 |
ò̩gbò̩ mó̩ è̩lú nyú è̩gwá |
ò̩gbò̩ m ‘é̩lú ny ‘é̩gwá |
ò̩gbò̩ mé̩lú nyé̩gwá |
111 |
ò̩gbò̩ mó̩ è̩lú nyú è̩gwá ka |
ò̩gbò̩ m ‘é̩lú ny ‘é̩gwá ka |
ò̩gbò̩ mé̩lú nyé̩gwá ka |
112 |
ò̩gbò̩ mó̩ è̩lú nyú è̩gwá èjì |
ò̩gbò̩ m ‘é̩lú ny ‘é̩gw ‘éjì |
ò̩gbò̩ mé̩lú nyé̩gwéjì |
150 |
ólí mó̩ é̩ta |
ólí m ‘é̩ta |
ólí mé̩ta |
160 |
ò̩gbò̩ mó̩ è̩jọ |
ò̩gbò̩ m ‘é̩jọ |
ò̩gbò̩ mé̩jọ |
200 |
ò̩gwá ọkọ |
ò̩gwá ọkọ |
ò̩gwá ọkọ |
300 |
ólí mó̩ è̩fà |
ólí m ‘é̩fà |
ólí mé̩fà |
400 |
ulu ọkọ |
ulu ọkọ |
ulu ọkọ |
500 |
ólí mó̩ è̩gwá |
ólí m ‘é̩gwá |
ólí mé̩gwa |
600 |
ulu ọgwá |
ulu ọgwá |
ulu ọgwá |
700 |
ógwú mó̩ è̩lu chi íchámu |
ógwú m ‘é̩lu chi íchámu |
ógwú mé̩lu chi íchámu |
800 |
íchámu |
íchámu |
íchámu |
900 |
íchámu nyú ò̩gbò̩ mó̩ è̩lú |
íchámu ny ‘ó̩gbò̩ m ‘é̩lú |
íchámu nyó̩gbò̩ mé̩lú |
1000 |
íchámu nyú ò̩gwá ọkọ |
íchámu ny ‘ó̩gw ‘ọkọ |
íchámu nyó̩gwọkọ |
1001 |
íchámu nyú ò̩gwá ọkọ nyú oka |
íchámu ny ‘ó̩gw ‘ọkọ ny ‘oka |
íchámu nyó̩gwọkọ nyoka |
1002 |
íchámu nyú ò̩gwá ọkọ nyú òké mó̩ èjì |
íchámu ny ‘ó̩gw ‘ọkọ ny ‘ókém ‘éjì |
íchámu nyó̩gwọkọ nyókéméjì |
1050 |
íchámu nyú ò̩gwá ọkọ nyú óje |
íchámu ny ‘ó̩gw ‘ọkọ ny ‘óje |
íchámu nyó̩gwọkọ nyóje |
1100 |
íchámu nyú ò̩gwá ọkọ nyú ò̩gbò̩ mó̩ è̩lú |
íchámu ny ‘ó̩gw ‘ọkọ ny ‘ò̩gbò̩ m ‘é̩lú |
íchámu nyó̩gwọkọ nyò̩gbò̩ mé̩lu |
This artile was produced with surports from Dr Salem Ejeba
Linguistics and Communication Department
Uni-Port
igalapediabooks();
This is nice but I still find it difficult pronouncing the words. I am igbo and married to an igala man but would love to learn. The meanings in in English would be ok too. Hoping to hear from u. Thanks.
Hey there, You have done a great job. I’ll certainly digg it and personally suggest to my friends.
I’m confident they will be benefited from this website.
Organisation of the Igala Numeral System | Igalapedia wordnet
asivgwncon
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